Business and Technology Education Council

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Not to be confused with Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech).

The Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) is a provider of secondary school leaving qualifications and further education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Whilst the T in BTEC previously stood for Technical, according to the DFE (2016) it now stands for Technology.[1] BTECs originated in 1984 and were awarded by Edexcel from 1996.[2] Their origins lie in the Business Education Council, formed in 1974 to "rationalise and improve the relevance of sub-degree vocational education".[3] It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pearson plc.

BTEC qualifications, especially Level 3, are accepted by all UK universities (in many instances combined with other qualifications such as A Levels) when assessing the suitability of applicants for admission, and many such universities base their conditional admissions offers on a student's predicted BTEC grades.[citation needed] Currently, Imperial College is the only university in Britain not to accept BTECs at all.[4]

A report by the Social Market Foundation in January 2018 found that more than a quarter (26%) of university applicants in England entered HE with at least one BTEC qualification.[5] The research found that BTECs provide a particularly significant route to higher education for specific groups, with almost half students entering university with a BTEC, alongside large numbers of students in specific regions, including the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, North East and West Midlands.[5] This followed a separate report published by HEPI in 2017 on BTECs and higher education.[2]

Qualification subjects[edit]

BTEC qualifications are equivalent to other qualifications, such as the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) (levels 1 to 2), A Level (level 3) and university degrees (levels 6 to 7). BTECs are undertaken in vocational subjects ranging from business studies to engineering.

Examples of qualifications include:

  • Animal Management
  • Applied Law
  • Applied Science
  • Applied Psychology
  • Art & Design
  • Business
  • Computing
  • Children's Care and Learning
  • Creative Digital Media Production
  • Early Years & Education
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Hair & Beauty
  • Hospitality
  • Health & Social Care
  • Music / Music Technology
  • Performing Arts
  • Public Services
  • Sports Science
  • Travel & Tourism

History[edit]

The BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) was formed by the merger of the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technical Education Council (TEC). The University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (ULEAC) and BTEC merged to form Edexcel.[6]

Awards and course system[edit]

School leaving qualification (Level 3)[edit]

The following Level 3 courses, known as BTEC National Diplomas, are intended for those with five or more GCSE grades A*-C including English, mathematics and science. The qualification names for Level 3 courses changed dependent on whether they were awarded through the forthcoming National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

RQF (2016) QCF (2010) A level size equivalence Grading
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma 3 x A levels PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Diploma BTEC Level 3 Diploma 2 x A levels PP to D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma BTEC Level 3 90-Credit Diploma 1.5 x A levels Pass to Distinction*
BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma 1 x A level Pass to Distinction*
BTEC Level 3 Certificate BTEC Level 3 Certificate 0.5 x A level Pass to Distinction*

School leaving qualification (Level 2)[edit]

The following Level 2 courses, known as BTEC Firsts, are intended for students at GCSE level as a vocational equivalent. There are no BTEC courses for English, or mathematics. Students who do not achieve the minimum Level 2 Pass grade will receive a Level 1 Pass in the given qualification equivalent to GCSE grades D-E and therefore does not count to the A*-C measurement system. The qualification names for Level 2 courses changed dependent on whether they were awarded though the current National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

NQF (2012) QCF (2010) GCSE size equivalence Grading
BTEC Level 2 Diploma No equivalent 4 x GCSEs PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate BTEC Level 2 Diploma 3 x GCSEs PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Certificate BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate 2 x GCSEs PP to D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Award BTEC Level 2 Certificate 1 x GCSE Pass to Distinction*

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Abbreviations and their meanings". Archived from the original on 2012-09-08.
  2. ^ a b Kelly, Scott. "HEPI report: Reforming BTECs: Applied General qualifications as a route to higher education" (PDF). p. 8.
  3. ^ "Our history | Pearson qualifications". qualifications.pearson.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  4. ^ Michael, Savage (2018-01-28). "Top universities accused of BTec snobbery". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  5. ^ a b "Vocation, Vocation, Vocation". Social Market Foundation. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  6. ^ "Our history". Edexcel. Pearson Education. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
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